Shauka Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center has continued to function and provide care as envisioned by its mission, which has been to provide state of the art cancer care, irrespective of the ability to pay and to pursue education and research.
The operating budget for the year 2009 is approximately $ 33 million (Rs. 2.5 billion); as in past years, we expect about half of this to me met from donations and Zakat and the other half from revenue services of the hospital. About 25% of cancer patient are self pay/ third-party paid, He the remainder is supported via philanthropic support from the hospital's parent trust. All philanthropic donations are directly used for patient care and the hospital's clinical revenue is used for infrastructure and support costs. Over (Rs. 6 billion) US$ 100 Million has been spent on philanthropically supported patient care over the last 14 years.
Any quality service or product faces the potential of shortage of capacity, especially when the service being provided is free to the majority of he recipients. This creates a constant challenge and dilemma, i.e. prioritization of intake. During 2008, over 9,500 new patients were were registered; over 120,000 outpatient visits were lodged, an increase of 20% over previous year.
The Pathology Laboratory has 54 collection centers all over the country. We meet this increasing work volume by having a consistent and transparent mechanism to judge suitability for acceptance of patients into the hospital for treatment. Creation of additional physical space is therefore of central importance and a new inpatient unit is part of this endeavor which we start in 2009. Enhancement of day chemotherapy facilities to 30 beds is complete. In tandem with creation of physical capacity, we are continuing our efforts to build human resource and this includes medical, nursing, technical and support staff.
Enhancement of remuneration of highly skilled staff like nurses has been a priority this year. We continue to add new programs in our postgraduate training programs and intend to start a graduate program in nursing. Our graduate program in radiology technology with the University of Bradford is already underway and the first batch of graduates are expected to qualify in 2010.
In line with our commitment to site specialization and to managing the Hospital's finite, and precious, resources, we have standardized treatment protocols for most cancers treated at the Hospital. All cancer care is delivered in a multidisciplinary manner, and it is the aim of the institution that no patient should be treated for cancer without having first been discussed in a multidisciplinary meeting, attended by all specialists involved in the treatment of that cancer.
A number of initiatives have been taken to manage the ever increasing cancer workload. These included the augmentation of consultant medical staff and we were delighted to welcome seven new consultants into the family of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre this year.
WE now have 52 consultant staff, in the fields of Medical Oncology, Paediatric Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Neurosurgery, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Paediatric Surgery, Cardiothoractic Urology, Gynaecologic Survery, Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases, Pulmonology and Critical Care, Hospital Medicine, Endocrinology, Cardiology, Nephrology, Anesthesiology, Radiology, Pathology, and Nuclear Medicine.
The Bone Marrow transplantation programme continues, with plans to start allogeneic transplantation in 2011.
We are about to commission Pakistan's first state-of-the-art cyclotron and PET-CT scanner. The advent of PET-CT imaging has revolutionized the management of cancer and is, today, considered essential for the diagnosis and treatment of many forms of cancer. The PET-CT system has cost US$5 million to purchase, install and commission, and is expected to be functional in August 2009.
The Hospital continues to have a strong commitment to research into the causes and treatment of cancer. The Research Division, incorporating the Basic Science Laboratories, the Clinical Research Office and the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemalogy and the Cancer Registry, has had a busy and successful year, with a number of peer-reviewed publications in international scientific journals providing evidence of the furits of their labours. The Hospital has been instrumental in setting up and funding the Punjab Cancer Registry, the first population-based cancer registry in the province. Our scientists have worked in collaboration with colleagues at the University of the Punjab, as well as with the German National Cancer Institute (DKFZ) in Heidelberg, where one of our Research Scientists trained and obtained his PhD.
Our participation in a nationwide anti-smoking campaign is part of our cancer prevention efforts and there are plans to set up a population based breast cancer screening program, initially in Lahore and later to be replicated elsewhere. SKMCH&RC's Walk in Clinics in Peshawar and Karachi are part of our desire to take our services as close to the people as possible. Construction work continued on the Diagnostic Centre in Karachi, which is planned to open in late 2009. Together with our Collection Centres and a Pathology Laboratory in Karachi, as well as the Karachi Walk-In Clinic, this represents tangible evidence of our commitment to opening a new Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital in Karachi, in our role as one of the largest national charities in Pakistan.
We have been able to share this expertise with other sister institutions in this country. We invite you to join us in continuing to build and support this national institution and movement which has the potential to change not only the medical but social fabric of our country. SKMCH&RC is a story of success of the collective will of our people and affirmation of some of the greatest positives in our society.
Give Zakat. Give Hope.
Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre -Karachi The land for the full hospital has been purchased, soil testing completed and the boundaries demarcated. This project will be in line with our commitment to providing health care facilities in the region.
Karachi Diagnostic Centre Construction work on the Karachi Diagnostic Centre at 1st Street, Phase VII Extension, DHA Karachi is nearing completion. It is the intention of SKMCH&RC to be able to take its services as close to the people as possible. It will be inaugurated in the coming months.
Inauguration of New Chemotherapy Bay The New Chemotherapy Bay was inaugurated to enhance the day chemotherapy facilities from 20 to 30 beds, to help meet the ever increasing patient numbers.
Impatient Extension The construction of the new Inpatient Extension with the capacity of another 42 beds is expected to start in the near future. This will help in managing the ever increasing cancer workload of the Hospital.
Launch of SKM Tigers The original Imran's Tigers was relaunched as the SKM Tigers to engage the school children in various healthy activities and to allow them to participate in volunteering activities at the Hospital.
Anniversary Celebrations The SKM Tigers Club celebrated the 14th Anniversary of the Hospital with great fervor and enthusiasm.
Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign Breast Cancer is the commonest cancer in women, worldwide, Pakistan has the highest incidence of breast cancer in Asia. SKMCH&RC remains committed to raise awareness to help detect breast cancer and save lives, hence, launched its Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign.
Inauguration of PET CT Scanner We are about to commission Pakistan's first state-of-the-art Cyclotron and PET-CT Scanner at SKMCH&RC. The advent of the PET-CT has revolutionized the management of cancer and is today, considered essential for the diagnosis and treatment of many forms of cancer. The PET-CT System has cost US $ 5 million to purchase, install and commission.
Walk in Clinic Lahore The Walk in Clinic - Lahore was renovated and rebuilt to accommodate the increasing number of patients presenting to the Hospital.
Shaukat Khanum Science Fair Eureka, the Shaukat Khanum Science Fair to promote innovation in science and technology was organized.
Anti Tobacco Campaign The World No Tobacco Day was observed on May 31, 2009.